DHAKA: Bangladesh High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Tarik Ahsan paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe, at the latter’s government residence, Temple Trees, in Colombo on Friday.

Bangladesh High Commission in Sri Lanka issued a press release on Friday regarding the meeting.

During the meeting, the Tarik Ahsan conveyed the greetings of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

He also lauded the vision and commitment of the premier for reforms in the political and economic domains of Sri Lanka. He also sought the support of the Prime Minister in the ongoing efforts for advancing bilateral cooperation between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Tarik Ahsan focused on the areas of cooperation in trade, investment, shipping, fisheries, culture and people-to-people contact. He also recalled the excellent record of cooperation between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on the multilateral plane.

He described Bangladesh as a bridge between South Asia and South East Asia, something that Sri Lanka can utilize as its gateway to the region.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe thanked his Bangladesh counterpart for her support in the recent election of Sri Lanka to Executive Board of UNESCO.

He also assured the High Commissioner of full cooperation of his government in his efforts for deepening the bilateral relations.

Expressing satisfaction at the existing friendly relations, he viewed that the natural affinity between the two peoples based on commonalities of history, culture, values and ethnicity should be carried forward for enhancing meaningful cooperation and expressed interest in further consolidating economic relations between two countries.

The meeting acknowledged the need for regular exchange of high-level visits as well as holding of meetings of consultative mechanisms existing between the two countries.

BDST: 2204 HRS, NOV 20, 2015
SR